Dining Review

The Triumphant Return of Chef Joe Simone

Simone's hits all the right notes - and taste buds

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It’s doubtful that any new restaurant in the Bay of late has had a grand opening as eagerly anticipated as Simone’s. Chef Joe Simone closed his popular Warren breakfast spot The Sunnyside a couple of years ago, to the dismay of his loyal following. Although a new place was in the works, securing the right location and completing the ensuing construction (replete with surprises and delays) extended the timetable well past its original intent. Finally, the brand new building on Child Street in Warren has opened its doors with a treat for Simone’s fans – dinner service.



Former patrons shouldn’t fret – breakfast is still available Wednesday through Friday mornings, with brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. But with a new space all his own, Simone has extended his creative cuisine to the other meals of the day – even lunch (also Wednesday through Friday). It’s enough trying to decide which restaurant to review every month, never mind which menu. Decisions, decisions.

We settled on dinner, and a Saturday at that, so we called for reservations. A friendly voice informed us that reservations were full for the evening, but that the restaurant keeps over half the tables unreserved for walk-ins. We arrived at the restaurant – a casual, modern space with a yellow and gray palette and concrete floors. The open kitchen and flurry of activity within view made for an entertaining backdrop. All the tables were full, so we were seated at a community hightop near the bar. The accompanying yellow stools were a fun accessory to the overall vibe, although are probably not conducive to lengthy multi-course meals (unless you’re an avid bicyclist and are used to that sort of thing).


We started with a round of cocktails, including a couple of Dirty Martinis with Roquefort cheese-stuffed olives ($12), a Cucumber Martini ($12) and a Sangria ($10) that wasn’t on any menu but which the bartender was happy to make. The Dirty Martinis weren’t as dirty as a dirty martini drinker would probably like, but the olives were as fresh and juicy a version of this garnish as I’ve ever had. The Cucumber Martini was the favorite of the bunch, having a little more pop than the typical vodka-based martini.

For appetizers we shared Fried Beets with Goat Cheese and Arugula ($13) and Steamed Pemmaquid Mussels with Scallions and Crème Fraiche ($13). We were most excited for the former, as none of us (including two vegetarians) had ever tried or even seen fried beets before. The “fried” in this case was a light, tempura-like coating that did not overwhelm the dish, and consisted of four small beets on a bed of greens. We then tried the Mussels and they were worth every penny and then some. The flavorful Proscuitto Pizza and hearty broth was accompanied by fluffy, oven-fresh focaccia that had us mopping up the bowl.

The entrées ranged from good to excellent on the flavor scale, but a tad lower on the value scale. The runaway favorite was the Wood Grilled Lobster with “spiked olive oil,” mushrooms, roasted peppers, wilted escarole and quinoa ($27). Grilled lobster is not a common menu item, and this version was grilled perfectly with zesty seasonings. The Native Cod Roast with white beans, kale and chorizo ($26) was also tasty, although heavy on the white beans and light on the other ingredients. The vegetarians in the group were pleased with their meals, as well as the ample selection of genuine vegetarian and gluten-free options in general. The Forno-Baked Pizza Margherita ($16) had a thick, soft crust, and on the heels of the focaccia encouraged me to try more goodies out of that stone-lined forno oven on future visits. The vegan Quinoa with tomato coulis and organic vegetables ($25) got an “excellent.” Finally, our shared side of Forno-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with bacon and Parmigiano ($8) was not what we expected, largely because they came out more steamed than roasted.

If you just can’t get enough of Simone’s, you can bring some home with you – and I don’t mean takeout or doggie bags. Roughly once a month Chef Joe will host cooking classes of varying themes, where a $50 per person class fee includes recipes, wine and tastes of the cooking demonstration. Upcoming events include February’s “Valentine Dinner,” a tour of the Forno oven and two “Pasta Boot Camps.” Details and registration info can be found online.

Simone's
275 Child Street, Warren
401-247-1200

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